Dragons
Dragons are one of the oldest species on Olegaia. They are large winged lizards, usually covered in impenetrable scales but are also known to have fur. Dragons are hatched from eggs and are no larger than a house cat at infancy. An adolescent can grow to the size of a wolf or a horse, and a fully-grown adult can be as large as a small ship. Their wisdom stretches beyond most mortal beings, and are sought for the advice by rulers and common folk alike. However, their wisdom comes at a price, as dragons hoard gold, jewels and other valuable treasures. Dragons are not be mistaken for their lesser cousins, wyverns. The Empire of Dastan is known for its large populace of Dragons, but these mythical creatures have been sighted all around the world. Some Dragons form lasting partnerships with a mortal ally; warriors who fight alongside a Dragon companion in battle are known as Dragoons. The Fields of Glory is home to several draconian monsters: *Black Dragon *Dragon Hatchling *Golden Dragon *Green Dragon *Obsidian Dragon History The Elder Dragons Main Article: Elder Dragons The first Dragon known to recorded history is Immortalis, an Elder Dragon born with prophetic powers of foresight, who according to legend hatched parentless from a mysterious egg. After aiding the Old Gods in their fight against the Darkness and helping them evacuate Etheria, Immortalis took the Dragon's Heart Flame to Dastan, where he met the ancient Dragons of that land, including his eventual wife Evya (another Dragon born from a parentless egg). In time, the influence of the Flame (as well as the intermingling of his bloodline with theirs) led to the development of the spiritual powers Dastanian Dragons are known for in the modern era. Immortalis and Evya initially took on leadership roles among the Dragons, though at some point Immortalis' goal shifted from leadership to judgement of all mortals, ceding his position in favor of taking ownership of Eschaton. Eventually, Immortalis and Evya had two sons: Vorpalis and Lethauros, both of whom would leave their own legacy upon Olegaia. Due to their ancestry and immense age, Vorpalis and Lethauros are counted among the Elder Dragons; it is currently unknown if this terminology is extended to other members of their lineage. Spread Eventually, the Dragons would spread to the far reaches of Olegaia, leading to contacts with many different cultures. These migrations led the different groups to develop and evolve in different manners, resulting in the multitude of different Dragon species that exist in the world. While regional bloodlines do seem to exist, in truth most Dragons are born with a mix of traits from different regions, with only the Dragons of the High Kingdoms (and possibly Charis and Xu) showing any significant concern as a group for bloodlines and purity of species. Dragons Across Olegaia Dastan Main Article: Empire of Dastan#Dragons In Dastan, it is known for a Dragon Knight to form a strong bond with their Dragon partner. The two participate in combat and other life endeavors together. During the decline of the Empire, the partnership between the Dragons and the Empire eventually decayed and vanished almost entirely, but during the rebellion incited by Emperor Roland Emeraldo and his co-conspirators, a young Dragon named Vipera spearheaded the renewal of relations between the two, thanks in no small part to the actions of Heroica in the region. More recently, two rogue younglings named Kreika and Velquoriel ravaged the city of Domus in the midst of a feud, calling the wisdom of the partnership into question. However, by the time of Sven's Uprising, relations seem to have been mostly restored, though factions within the local Dragon population still seem resistant to cooperation. Dastanian dragons on a whole are known for their connection to the Spirit Pools, the spiritual source of many Dragons' and Prophets' powers. It is unknown if the Spirit Pools are at all connected to the Dragon's Heart Flame, or if the two operate in completely separate ways. Dastanian Dragons are not inherently elemental, though due to their proximity to the nearby Charisian Dragon populations crossbreeding has resulted in many elemental Dastanian Dragons. Known Dragons of Dastanese descent include Vipera Callidus, Retraga, Alatreon, Bellerai Firestomach, Velquoriel, Kreika, Evya, Lethauros, Vorpalis, Torc, and Miirym. Xu Main Article: Xu Unlike their aggressive brethren in Dastan, the Dragons of Xu are revered as guardians of the welfare of the people. In the time of Aoi rule, it was inconcievable for the Xuese to even dream of riding on the back of a Dragon--they were considered too majestic for such mundane tasks. Dragons were revered, even sacred, and the sanctity of their hoards was usually considered absolute; the peaceful Xuese Dragons rarely became violent, unless protecting something they considered valuable. That said, Dragoons were not unknown to the Aoi, as they kept a watchful eye on Dastan to the west, an army of mounted Dragon Knights being one of the few threats to Ai Zhurong considered serious by the Council of the Blue Hand. It is unknown if the Dragons of Xu have had any hand in the reformation of Xu after the rebellion instigated by Shanxian Ji Pei and her hired Heroes of Heroica. Little is known about the powers of Xuese Dragons, though they do tend to be physically smaller than their counterparts from other regions, a full-grown adult standing just slightly taller in stature than a Northern Yeti (though being significantly less bulky). Some sources report Dragons of Xuese bloodlines being somewhat more serpentine than other Dragon types, but as of yet these reports remain unsubstantiated. Xuese Dragons are one of the few known sources of the rare Zirconia gemstone, the only gemstone capable of channeling all elements. When Xuese Dragons do exhibit elemental powers, they usually have the ability to do so with multiple elements; because of this, it has been speculated that there is some inherent connection between these Dragons and the Zirconia gemstone. In battle, most Xuese Dragons are classified as Ethereal; whether their spell resistance is an inherent biological trait or a result of their Ethereal connection to Zirconia is currently unknown. Known Dragons of Xuese descent include Tianlong and Alatreon. The High Kingdoms The Dragons of the High Kingdoms are notably less sociable than those of other regions, even Dastan. Contemporary Dragon scholars note this population as being the group most likely responsible for the stereotype of villainous Dragons kidnapping princesses and carrying off livestock. Little else is known about the Dragons of the High Kingdoms, other than their tendency to show concern for bloodlines far more than any other regional population. Known Dragons of High Kingdoms blood include Retraga, Rastaban, the Obsidian Dragons, and Miirym. Charis Little is known about the culture of the Dragons of Charis, but it is known that the Shadeaux family has (or had) a positive relationship with them, as they were given seven eggs of Charisian descent. The Shadeaux eventually gave these eggs to The Dragonlord of Heroica, who in turn gave them to his own companion Smaragdea to care for. It is these seven eggs that are given to Heroes who train to be Dragoons; three (blue, gold, and brown) have already been claimed by Heroes, leaving the red, green, black, and white eggs unclaimed. Charisian Dragons are known for their elemental breath, which does not normally develop until they become Younglings. Charisian Dragons also mature physically much more quickly than their counterparts in other regions, reaching physical adulthood in as little as a year. Despite their physical maturity, however, Dragons of other regions tend to still view their Charisian-born counterparts as children until they reach several centuries in age. It has been speculated that Charisian Dragons on average have shorter lifespans than their foreign counterparts, as a drawback to their rapid maturity; however, due to the intermingling of bloodlines and the effective immortality even Charisian Dragons tend to possess compared to the mortal races, proper study of the subject has historically proven difficult, even bordering on impossible. While contemporary scholars of the mortal races have frequently petitioned their immortal colleagues (such as Elves) to devote their resources (and, more to the point, lifespans) to this study, actual documentation on the subject remains scarce. Known Dragons of Charisian descent include Velquoriel, Kreika, Arx, Torc, and Miirym. All Dragon companions of Heroes who become Dragoons are of at least partial Charisian descent, due to their rapid growth and their elemental breath; see the Pet Dragon and Dragon's Wrath sections of the Dragoon page for more information. Baltarok The Dragons of Baltarok went extinct after the Orcish Invasion, during the civil wars of Goblonia and the resulting food shortages; as a result, little is known about them as a species. While the Ice Drakes remain prominent in northern Baltarok, they are merely powerful reptilian beasts, only tangentially related to the true Dragons of Olegaia. Currently, the only known suuldrahcand of Baltarok descent is Aazy, companion of the Orcish Dragoon Daske. Dragon Characters *Aazy (Daske's emerald companion) *Alatreon (Dragon of Dastan) *'Arx' (Thormanil Nihai's blue companion) *Bellerai Firestomach (Dragon of Dastan) *Ecastue (Dragon of Dastan) *'Miirym' (Arthur Justus Regulus VII's golden companion) *Rastaban† the Brimstone Dragon *Retraga *Smaragdea (The Dragonlord's green companion) *Tianlong† the Celestial Dragon (ally of the 108 Stars of Destiny) *'Torc' (Hoke Ablesword's brown companion) *Vipera Callidus the Young *Volmuniix (Giuliana Deathbell's crimson companion) Category:Races